2017 Honda Pilot · symptom sheet
Battery dies or the car will not start
- 84owner reports
- 47,000median miles
- $861median quote
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
266 of the 929 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 84 of those describe dead battery.
Tick what matches of 84 reports
Dead battery on other Pilot years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
These owners walk out to a car that's dead. Some find it drained after sitting only a day or two, some need a jump start every week, and some have had the battery replaced more than once without the problem going away. A good number describe the dealer testing the battery, calling it fine, and sending them home.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (77 reports), the module (8 reports), the starter (7 reports) and the alternator (5 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the electrical system covers the 2017 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the electrical system on the Pilot
Ignition interlock failure - rollaway. Closed jan 14, 2013, led to recall 12V-573.
Low beam headlights stop illuminating. Closed sep 17, 2012, led to recall 12V-136.
None of these investigations covers the 2017 model year.
What owners paid
17 of the 84 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $500 to $975.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 33,000 and 52,000 miles, from the 26 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 2 service bulletins or notices for the 2017 Honda Pilot that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
American Honda Motor Co, Inc. (AHM) has been collecting batteries from certain models under certain conditions. If you have replaced an OEM battery on a qualified vehicle, please follow the procedure below.
Servicenews article - There are two types of 12-volt batteries used in Honda vehicles today: the conventional flooded lead acid (FLA) battery and the absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery.
What owners wrote
“Pilot will shut off at stop signs and red lights. Software update completed in 2023 but issue persists. I shut the âfeatureâ off as soon as I turn car on. It has happened despite this. It may be draining the battery. On third battery in two years. Currently at dealership to complete next warranty update.”
Filed Apr 1, 2025
“Engine fails to restart after the engine idle stop shuts off the engine when stopped. It is difficult to restart the engine from this state and creates a safety hazard with the car being disabled for a period of time. It does not happen every time. The battery in this vehicle was replaced 18 months ago and the vehicle has no trouble starting normally.”
Filed Dec 26, 2024
“Auto shut off happens all the time and the car shut off and need to restart. It is so scary when you are at a light and it turns green and a car appears behind you and almost slams into you. One day it will happen and i will be dead.”
Filed Oct 1, 2023
“When stopped, the engine idles off but when I go to accelerate, the engine shuts off. This is becoming a safety issue as the last two times were on a highway although it is really always a safety issue. Last year the dealer had me get a new battery. While that worked for a bit, the issue is back and worse than ever.”
Filed Sep 29, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 84 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 292 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 134 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 75 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 58 reports
- Auto start-stop will not restart the engine 56 reports
- Multiple warning lights come on at once 51 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 39 reports
- Fuel pump failure 32 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 27 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 27 reports